DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This OA is in response to the amendment filled on 1/2/2026 that has been entered, wherein claims 1-10 are pending and claims 1-3 are withdrawn.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Invention II, claims 4-10 in the reply filed on 1/2/2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 8/16/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
The information disclosure statement filed 11/7/2023 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(3)(i) because it does not include a concise explanation of the relevance, as it is presently understood by the individual designated in 37 CFR 1.56(c) most knowledgeable about the content of the information, of each reference listed that is not in the English language. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 10 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "a light-emitting diode" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Is a light-emitting diode the same or different than then a light-emitting diode of claim 8, of which this claim depends. For the purpose of examination, “a light-emitting diode” will be interpreted as “the light-emitting diode”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 4-5 and 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Tu et al. (US 2022/0359253 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Tu teaches a method for bonding an electronic component(Fig. 1), comprising:
providing a transfer substrate(710) having a carrying surface(710b) on which the electronic component(720/721, ¶0085) to be bonded is disposed and a non-carrying surface(710a) which is opposite to the carrying surface(710b);
providing a target substrate(740, ¶0021) having a bonded surface and a non-bonded surface which is opposite to the bonded surface;
arranging the carrying surface(710b) of the transfer substrate(710) to face the bonded surface of the target substrate(740, ¶0021);
making the transfer substrate(710) and the target substrate(740, ¶0021) approach each other until the electronic component(720/721, ¶0085) is in contact with the bonded surface of the target substrate(740, ¶0021);
applying a flexible push(140, ¶0021) to the non-carrying surface(710a) of the transfer substrate(710) or to the non-bonded surface of the target substrate(740, ¶0021), wherein the flexible push(140, ¶0021) is in a greater magnitude(Fig. 1D, ¶0060) onto a central portion of the non-carrying surface(710a) or of the non-bonded surface than onto a peripheral portion of the non-carrying surface(710a) or of the non-bonded surface at the start of the flexible push(140, ¶0021) being applied; and
applying an energy beam(L1, ¶0034) to bond the electronic component(720/721, ¶0085) on the bonded surface of the target substrate(740, ¶0021) from the transfer substrate(710).
Regarding claim 5, Tu teaches the method for bonding an electronic component according to claim 4, wherein the flexible push(140, ¶0021) reaches a universal magnitude(Fig. 1F, ¶0065) gradually from the central portion to the peripheral portion of the non-carrying surface(710a) or of the non-bonded surface.
Regarding claim 7, Tu teaches the method for bonding an electronic component according to claim 4, wherein the energy beam(L1, ¶0034) is a laser beam(¶0041).
Regarding claim 8, Tu teaches the method for bonding an electronic component according to claim 4, wherein the electronic component(720/721, ¶0085) is a light-emitting diode(¶0085).
Regarding claim 9, Tu teaches the method for bonding an electronic component according to claim 4, wherein the target substrate(740, ¶0021) is a thin film transistor substrate(¶0045).
Regarding claim 10, Tu teaches a method for manufacturing a light-emitting diode display(Fig. 1, ¶0085), comprising bonding the light-emitting diode(720/721, ¶0085) using the method for bonding an electronic component according to claim 8(please see claim 8 above).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tu et al. (US 2022/0359253 A1) in view of Lee et al. (US 2022/01202185 A1) as cited in the IDS of11/7/2023 .
Regarding claim 6, Tu teaches the method for bonding an electronic component according to claim 4, but is not relied on to teach the flexible push(140, ¶0021) is generated by inflating an air bag.
Lee teaches a method for bonding an electronic component(Fig. 4) wherein the flexible push(air, ¶0035) is generated by inflating an air bag(124, ¶0036). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify to modify the method of Tu, so that the flexible push is generated by inflating an air bag, as taught by Lee, so that a void is discharged to the outside of the semiconductor chip and does not remain at the interface between the electronic component and the target substrate, and thus, the bonding reliability between the electronic component and the target substrate may be improved(¶0067).
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao et al. (US 2022/0238358 A1) in view of Lee et al. (US 2022/01202185 A1) as cited in the IDS of11/7/2023 .
Regarding claim 4, Liao teaches a method for bonding an electronic component(Figs. 9-12), comprising:
providing a transfer substrate(S, ¶0032) having a carrying surface(S1001, ¶0032) on which the electronic component(C, ¶0032) to be bonded is disposed and a non-carrying surface(S1002, ¶0032) which is opposite to the carrying surface(S1001, ¶0032);
providing a target substrate(P, ¶0032) having a bonded surface and a non-bonded surface which is opposite to the bonded surface;
arranging the carrying surface(S1001, ¶0032) of the transfer substrate(S, ¶0032) to face the bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032);
making the transfer substrate(S, ¶0032) and the target substrate(P, ¶0032) approach each other until the electronic component(C, ¶0032) is in contact(S102, ¶0035) with the bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032);
applying(S104, ¶0032) a flexible push(gas, ¶0035) to the non-carrying surface(S1002, ¶0032) of the transfer substrate(S, ¶0032) or to the non-bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032); and
applying an energy beam(laser beam, ¶0036) to bond the electronic component(C, ¶0032) on the bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032) from the transfer substrate(S, ¶0032).
Liao is not relied on to teach the flexible push(gas, ¶0035) is in a greater magnitude onto a central portion of the non-carrying surface(S1002, ¶0032) or of the non-bonded surface than onto a peripheral portion of the non-carrying surface(S1002, ¶0032) or of the non-bonded surface at the start of the flexible push(gas, ¶0035) being applied.
Lee teaches a method for bonding an electronic component(Fig. 4) wherein the flexible push(air, ¶0035) is in a greater magnitude(Fig. 4c) onto a central portion of the non-carrying surface or of the non-bonded surface than onto a peripheral portion of the non-carrying surface or of the non-bonded surface at the start of the flexible push(air, ¶0035) being applied. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify to modify the method of Liao, so that the flexible push is in a greater magnitude onto a central portion of the non-carrying surface or of the non-bonded surface than onto a peripheral portion of the non-carrying surface or of the non-bonded surface at the start of the flexible push being applied, as taught by Lee, so that a void is discharged to the outside of the semiconductor chip and does not remain at the interface between the electronic component and the target substrate, and thus, the bonding reliability between the electronic component and the target substrate may be improved(¶0067).
Regarding claim 5, Liao teaches the method for bonding an electronic component according to claim 4, but is not relied on to teach the flexible push(gas, ¶0035) reaches a universal magnitude gradually from the central portion to the peripheral portion of the non-carrying surface(S1002, ¶0032) or of the non-bonded surface.
Lee teaches a method for bonding an electronic component(Fig. 4) wherein the flexible push(air, ¶0035) reaches a universal magnitude(Fig. 4E) gradually from the central portion to the peripheral portion of the non-carrying surface or of the non-bonded surface. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify to modify the method of Liao, so that the flexible push reaches a universal magnitude gradually from the central portion to the peripheral portion of the non-carrying surface or of the non-bonded surface, as taught by Lee, so that a void is discharged to the outside of the semiconductor chip and does not remain at the interface between the electronic component and the target substrate, and thus, the bonding reliability between the electronic component and the target substrate may be improved(¶0067).
Regarding claim 6, Liao teaches the method for bonding an electronic component according to claim 4, but is not relied on to teach the flexible push(gas, ¶0035) is generated by inflating an air bag.
Lee teaches a method for bonding an electronic component(Fig. 4) wherein the flexible push(air, ¶0035) is generated by inflating an air bag(124, ¶0036). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify to modify the method of Liao, so that the flexible push is generated by inflating an air bag, as taught by Lee, so that a void is discharged to the outside of the semiconductor chip and does not remain at the interface between the electronic component and the target substrate, and thus, the bonding reliability between the electronic component and the target substrate may be improved(¶0067).
Regarding claim 7, Liao teaches the method for bonding an electronic component according to claim 4, wherein the energy beam(laser beam, ¶0036) is a laser beam(¶0036).
Regarding claim 8, Liao teaches the method for bonding an electronic component according to claim 4, wherein the electronic component(C, ¶0032) is a light-emitting diode(¶0003).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAURA DYKES whose telephone number is (571)270-3161. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30 am-5 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, N. Drew Richards can be reached at 571-272-1736. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/LAURA M DYKES/Examiner, Art Unit 2892